2003 Rugby League National Leagues

The 2003 National Leagues (known as the LHF National Leagues due to sponsor ship) are the second, third and fourth divisions of rugby league played in the United Kingdom.

2003 LHF Healthplan National League
LeagueNational League
National League One
Champions Salford City Reds
League leaders Salford City Reds
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from National League One Salford City Reds
Relegated to National League Two Dewsbury Rams
National League Two
Champions Keighley Cougars
League leaders Sheffield Eagles
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from National League Two Keighley Cougars
National League Three
ChampionsWoolston Rovers (Warrington)
League leadersBradford Dudley Hill

National Leagues One and Two were made up of the 18 clubs that competed in the Northern Ford Premiership during the previous season, plus the London Skolars and the York City Knights. National League Three consisted of ten additional teams from the amateur leagues. There was no automatic promotion and relegation with National League Two, but the RFL hoped to introduce this in the future.

National League One

National League One was won by Salford City Reds, and won promotion to the Super League after defeating runners-up the Leigh Centurions in the play-off final. The Dewsbury Rams were relegated to National Two.

Table
Pos Club Pld W D L Pts for Pts agst Pts Qualification
1 Salford City Reds 18 14 2 2 732 294 30 Qualifying Semi Final
2 Leigh Centurions 18 15 0 3 702 309 30
3 Rochdale Hornets 18 13 0 5 647 477 26 Elimination Play-off
4 Hull Kingston Rovers 18 10 0 8 401 373 20
5 Oldham 18 7 2 9 404 500 16
6 Whitehaven 18 5 5 8 443 438 15
7 Featherstone Rovers 18 7 0 11 387 478 14
8 Doncaster Dragons 18 6 1 11 429 632 13
9 Batley Bulldogs 18 5 1 12 366 543 11
10 Dewsbury Rams 18 2 1 15 284 751 5 Relegated to National League 2

Playoffs
  Elimination play-offs   Qualifying / Elimination semi-finals   Elimination final   Grand Final
                                 
  QSF: The Willows  
1   Salford 26  
2   Leigh Centurions 18         GF: Halton Stadium
        Salford 31
  EPO1: Spotland     EF: Leigh Sports Village       Leigh Centurions 14
  3   Rochdale 40         Leigh Centurions 42  
  6   Whitehaven 38   ESF: Spotland       Hull KR 12
      Rochdale 26  
EPO2: Craven Park       Hull KR 30
  4   Hull KR 38  
  5   Oldham 24
   
Key:         Losing team progressing     Winning team progressing

Grand Final
5 October 2003
Salford City Reds 31–14 Leigh Centurions
Tries: Hunte (2), Beverley, Littler
Goals: Charles (6), Blakeley
Drop goals: Blakeley		 Report Tries: Richardson, Halliwell, Swann
Goals: Turley
Halton Stadium, Widnes
Attendance: 9,186[1]
Referee: Richard Silverwood

National League Two

National League Two was won by the Sheffield Eagles, but lost to the Keighley Cougars in the play-off final.

Table
Pos Club Pld W D L Pts for Pts agst Pts Qualification
1 Sheffield Eagles 18 13 0 5 644 326 26 Qualifying Semi Final
2 Chorley Lynx 18 13 0 5 584 362 26
3 Keighley Cougars 18 13 0 5 488 340 26 Elimination Play-off
4 York City Knights 18 11 1 6 576 381 23
5 Barrow Raiders 18 11 0 7 546 419 22
6 Hunslet Hawks 18 10 1 7 513 425 21
7 Swinton Lions 18 8 1 9 445 426 17
8 Workington Town 18 4 1 13 393 558 9
9 Gateshead Thunder 18 3 1 14 365 663 7
10 London Skolars 18 1 1 16 222 876 3

Playoffs
  Elimination play-offs   Qualifying / Elimination semi-finals   Elimination final   Grand Final
                                 
  QSF: Don Valley Stadium  
1   Sheffield 31  
2   Chorley 14         GF: Halton Stadium
        Keighley 13
  EPO1: Cougar Park     EF: Bloomfield Road       Sheffield 11
  3   Keighley 25         Chorley 12  
  6   Hunslet 12   ESF: Cougar Park       Keighley 45
      Keighley 35  
EPO2: Bootham Crescent       Barrow 26
  4   York 30  
  5   Barrow 50
   
Key:         Losing team progressing     Winning team progressing

Grand Final
5 October 2003
Keighley Cougars 13–11 Sheffield Eagles
Tries: M. Foster, Robinson
Goals: Ashton (2)
Drop goals: Firth		 Report Tries: O'Reilly
Goals: G. Brown (3)
Drop goals: Reilly
Halton Stadium, Widnes
Attendance: 9,186[1]
Referee: Peter Taberner

National League Three

National League Three was won by Bradford Dudley Hill, with the play-offs being won by the Woolston Rovers (Warrington).

Table
Pos Club Pld W D L Pts for Pts agst Pts Qualification
1 Bradford Dudley Hill 14 13 0 1 545 178 26 Qualifying Semi Final
2 Teesside Steelers 14 10 1 3 343 273 21
3 Woolston Rovers (Warrington) 14 9 1 4 480 244 19 Elimination Play-off
4 St Albans Centurions 14 9 0 5 410 284 18
5 Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks 14 7 1 6 395 246 15
6 Underbank Rangers 14 7 0 7 412 396 14
7 South London Storm 14 6 0 8 274 362 12
8 Coventry Bears 14 4 1 9 273 385 9
9 Manchester Knights 14 3 0 11 228 584 6
10 Hemel Stags 14 0 0 14 160 568 0

Playoffs
  Elimination play-offs   Qualifying / Elimination semi-finals   Elimination final   Grand Final
                                 
  QSF:  
1  Bradford Dudley Hill 8  
2  Teeside Steelers 10         GF: Halton Stadium
       Woolston Rovers (Warrington) 42
  EPO1:     EF:      Teeside Steelers 6
  3  Woolston Rovers (Warrington) 18        Bradford Dudley Hill 12  
  6  Underbank Rangers 10   ESF:      Woolston Rovers (Warrington) 34
     Woolston Rovers (Warrington) 24  
EPO2:      St Albans Centurions 10
  4  St Albans Centurions 20  
  5  Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks 8
   
Key:         Losing team progressing     Winning team progressing

References
  1. Tim Butcher; Daniel Spencer. Gillette Rugby League Yearbook 2011–12. League Publications Limited. ISBN 978-1-901347-24-1.

See also
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